The rise of the ‘baby chasers’: More grandparents are moving to retire near their grandchildren

First came the helicopter parents, who hovered over their children.

Now come the baby chasers, who move to be near their grandchildren.

A quarter of boomers are planning to retire near their grandchildren, a new study has found, deciding that living close by is far better than infrequent visits, FaceTime, and long-distance Skype calls.

The data was compiled by Meyers Research, a company that tracks trends in the real-estate industry.

“What differentiates the boomer buyer from their parents’ retirement process is that the boomer is moving to, not away, from the kids,” said Tim Sullivan, senior managing principal at ValueWalk, an investment website that evaluated the research on the so-called baby chasers.

While other factors like affordability, taxes, and downsizing still play major roles in retirement moves,  the popularity of relocating near grandchildren will affect housing markets, senior communities and traditional notions about retirement living.

Baby chasers may want smaller houses when they retire, but they will want bigger living areas, spare bedrooms and yards for the grandchildren, ValueWalk said.

Leading the housing markets for baby chasers are Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina, Austin and Dallas, Texas and Nashville, Tennessee, all locations popular with young professionals and families.

While Florida has been a traditional draw for retirees, the state does not tend to attract young families. Only Tampa made the top 15 baby chaser locations, according to ValueWalk.

Below are Meyers’ top 10 market for baby chasers.